Colorado DUI Crash Claims Life of Police Officer, Injures Three Others; Suspect Faces Serious Charges

The identity of the alleged DUI driver in the Wednesday night incident that killed one Golden police officer and injured another has been revealed.

Stephen Geer, 43, was charged with vehicular homicide after allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

According to the Colorado State Patrol and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Geer has also been charged with two counts of vehicular assault while driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs and inflicting serious injury to another person.

The two Golden police officers had stopped on Highway 58 to investigate a previous collision between a pink Toyota Tacoma and a silver Subaru that occurred at 4:38 p.m.

According to Geer’s arrest affidavit, the date was Wednesday. Both cars were stopped on the side of Highway 58, with one of the drivers and her father standing outside the vehicles alongside both police officers.

According to the arrest affidavit, the driver of a black Mazda hit the back of the Tacoma and Subaru around 4:53 p.m., striking all four individuals standing on the side of the road.

One cop was pinned beneath the Subaru and later pronounced dead. Golden Police Chief Joe Harvey stated that the officer’s wife requested that his name not be revealed.

The police chief only identified the fallen officer as a 33-year-old male. According to the Officer Down Memorial Page, this is Colorado’s first line-of-duty death in 2024.

“He is an outstanding human being. He had a lengthy, distinguished career in the military, where he piloted Black Hawk helicopters and served as a commander,” Harvey stated. “He is survived by a loving wife, a sibling, and parents… Internally, he will be survived by 71 members of the Golden family.”

According to Geer’s arrest affidavit, the other Golden police officer involved in the incident sustained a fractured cheekbone. The driver of the Tacoma suffered a skull fracture and a brain bleed, and her father was flung over the highway barrier, cutting his head and elbow.

After purportedly hitting the four persons, the driver of the black Mazda exited the vehicle. According to the arrest affidavit, the driver of the Subaru asked if he was in the car at the time of the incident, and the driver of the black Mazda stated he was behind the wheel.

According to the arrest affidavit, another police officer came on the scene and spoke with Geer, urging him to engage in roadside tests.

Geer informed the officer that he worked at the Colorado School of Mines and had stopped for a beer before going home. Geer stated that he spotted yellow flashing lights and attempted to stop, but was unable to do so, and rear-ended a stopped vehicle.

He remembers hearing screams but couldn’t recall anything further, according to arrest paperwork.

Following a series of roadside tests, law officers provided Geer with a written copy of his Miranda rights. According to his arrest affidavit, after reviewing and signing the document, Geer refused to speak with investigators or engage in any further examinations.

Geer will appear in court on Thursday, November 14, at 10 a.m., according to court records. His bond amount was set at $250,000.

Reference: Suspected DUI driver involved in crash that killed Golden police officer, injured another identified